Letter of support for Ward 3 Candidate Wanda Lee Rohlfs

To Ward 3 Citizens and Citizens of Lincoln, IL:

I am writing this letter to you with my recommendation, support, and endorsement for Aldermanic Ward 3 candidate, Wanda Lee Rohlfs, in the election on February 24, 2015. I have known Wanda Lee for over 40 years and had the privilege of serving with her four years during my administration. During her time as Alderman, Wanda Lee chaired four committees, vice-chaired four committees, and served on 12 committees plus various commissions in an effort to lead, promote, and serve the citizens of Lincoln, Illinois. She served seven years as executive director of Main Street Lincoln, and numerous Lincoln, Illinois/Logan County commissions, and continues to stay active in promoting Lincoln and Logan County in a fiscally responsible way.

I do not know the other candidate for Ward 3 Alderman. But I do know Wanda Lee and observed for myself how she has conducted herself professionally and diligently for the citizens she represented. During her term of office, Wanda Lee demonstrated unwavering interest, follow-up, and accountability in every project, issue, or committee she was assigned to chair, vice-chair, or serve. She looked at all angles of an issue, interviewed people, and researched her subject most thoroughly before acting on the issue within her capacity or bringing it forward to the city council for full discussion and an informed vote on the city council floor.

Every public body needs a watchdog and honest public officials leading their community and managing their taxpayer funds. Wanda Lee is just that. She has taken her own time to monitor the present administration and city council’s actions in its accelerated spending of funds for questionable use and depletion of taxpayers’ money. I’ve always believed in “taxation with representation” and if Wanda Lee, a few city officials, and some members of the press hadn’t brought up the issues of spending at city hall running amuck, the citizens in this community would not know about inappropriate changes adopted with minimal public input and disregard for the opinions of many: circumventing an aldermanic form of government while gradually and quietly moving to a mayoral/city administrator-dominated regime with minimized representation by the aldermen for their respective wards within the city of Lincoln. The ten city council committees, established by ordinance decades ago, have been abolished by the current administration, further diminishing the role of the city council in representing its constituents.

Citizens are now instructed to contact the city administrator with their issues and concerns, no longer contacting their respective Ward aldermen to deal with their own Ward issues. Aldermen are also instructed to refer the concerns of their constituents to the city administrator, rather than talking directly to the department heads who can further explore and help resolve the citizens’ issues.

What has happened to the human touch of elected officials talking with the people they represent?
Monetary expenditures of any type should be approved via roll call with a 2/3 vote, but now substantial expenditures -- some in excess of $200,000, are buried within the “payment of bills” on the city council “consent agenda.” No discussion or very minimal discussion is encouraged or occurs prior to a vote spending taxpayers’ money. Where did adherence to the IL Open Meetings Act go? This new city practice is not constituent-oriented nor transparent for the citizens of Lincoln to know where their money is being spent, nor allowing aldermen to do their jobs as they were elected to do.

Wanda Lee is doing her job as a citizen, a former Alderman, and as a current candidate for Ward 3 Alderman. She is watching out for the citizens of this city and publicly noting when council votes and decisions for spending citizens’ money are not made appropriately, nor discussed or explained clearly enough prior to the “consent” vote of the city council.

I, myself, am wondering where the city of Lincoln is coming up with all the big chunks of money it has consistently been promising to vaguely-defined entities where no concrete facts are provided for its use; where non-elected members of these groups are voting on and ear-marking for city expenditure; clandestine use, and ill-defined line items in the budget are adhered to in order to fund all of these questionable taxpayer expenditures. The city of Lincoln most definitely needs to be transparent in its income and expenses in order to be accountable to its citizens. Again, adherence to the IL Open Meetings Act is being ignored. There is only so much money to go around. If city funds are spent on only one or two sectors within the city, all remaining sectors of the city will be ignored until new fusions of fiscal year monies are received, if not already earmarked elsewhere. What projects are listed on the city’s five-year plan? Are your concerns being heard? Are all citizens and businesses of Lincoln, IL being fairly represented?

Lincoln needs to act responsibly and elect leadership who will stand up for you and your families; someone who will work with the current aldermen and public officials trying to do the best for you, the Citizens of Lincoln. Wanda Lee Rohlfs is that person. Ward 3 Citizens: Please make time to vote election day, February 24, 2015, and vote for an alderman who will fight for your rights and fight hard for you to make the Lincoln City Council and its newly-created spin-off, not-for-profit groups, transparent and accountable to you. Please vote for Wanda Lee Rohlfs.

Thank you for your time.

Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman,
Mayor, City of Lincoln, IL
May 1, 2001-May 1, 2009

[Posted February 20, 2015]